Dancing Feather: A Tribe Story
by Hollybranch
Summary: Follow the story of Stormfur, Brook and their kit: Feather that Dances on Wind. But there's more to the silver gray she cat then what meets the eye and Stormfur begins to wonder...
1. Allegiances

Hey everybody :D It's Hollybranch and this is another story of mine. I'll probably be uploading this one more than Heart of a Rogue. But anyways all these characters are (C) Erin Hunter except for Eagle, Fire, Star, Shine, Feather, Golden, Pebble, Mouse and Leaf.

Tribe-Healer: Teller of the Pointed Stones (Stoneteller) –brown tabby tom with

amber eyes

Prey-Hunters: Gray Sky Before Dawn (Gray) –pale gray tabby tom

Brook Where Small Fish Swim (Brook) –brown tabby she-cat

Mist Where Sunlight Shimmers (Mist) –tabby she-cat with blue

eyes

Storm Where Cold Wind Blows (Storm) –dark gray tom with amber

eyes

Eagle of Moving Wind (Eagle) –mottled dark brown tabby tom

Fire of Inner Heart (Fire) –white tom with splashed ginger fur

Flower that Grows in Meadow (Flower) –pale tortoiseshell she-cat with

bright orange eyes

Cave-Guards: Talon of Swooping Eagle (Talon) –dark brown tabby tom

Jagged Rock Where Heron Sits (Jag) –dark gray tom

Rock Beneath Still Water (Rock) –brown tom

Bird that Sings at Dusk (Bird) –gray tabby she-cat

Crag Where Eagles Nest (Crag) –dark gray tom

Sheer Path Beside Waterfall (Sheer) –dark brown tabby tom

Night of No Stars (Night) –black she-cat

Star that Shines in Midnight Sky (Star) –small black she-cat with

White paws

Ripple in Calm Water (Ripple) –large dark gray tabby tom

Kit-Mothers: Wing Shadow Over Water (Wing) –gray-and-white she-cat

Flight of Startled Heron (Flight) –brown tabby she-cat

Shine on Black River (Shine) –blue-black she-cat

To-bes: Feather that Dances on Wind (Feather) –pale silvery gray she-cat with blue

Eyes, prey-hunter

Golden Light that Shines in Morning (Golden) –golden tabby she-cat with

green eyes, cave-guard

Pebbles in Small Pool (Pebble) –gray tabby tom with a white tail, cave-guard

Leaf of Rustling Branches (Leaf) –light tabby she-cat with big green eyes,

prey-hunter

Mouse that Quivers Whiskers (Mouse) –small dark brown tom, prey-hunter


	2. Prologue

**Here's the prologue:**

Stormfur stared after his clanmates and friends as they trekked down the mountain slope his amber eyes somber. He loved Brook—and wanted to stay with her more than anything, but seeing the Clans leave without him tore his heart in two.

His gaze was drawn to the ginger pelt of Squirrelpaw and he wished he could tell her how much he cared about her and how he wished her—and Brambleclaw good luck together.

"You'll miss them won't you?" meowed Brook's sweet voice beside him as she rasped her tongue over his ear.

He sighed. "Of course I will."

Brook gave him a sympathetic glance and Stormfur thought again how beautiful she was. Lithe and muscular with a shimmering brown tabby pelt and gleaming amber eyes.

Gently he pressed his muzzle against hers, "We should head back for the Cave of Rushing Water." He murmured. "Stoneteller will be expecting us."

Brook meowed agreement and the two trekked home through snow and ice in silence, and Stormfur knew it would never be the same.

**Oh yes and please Read and Review!**


	3. Chapter 1

**Ok here's Brook's POV. Enjoy and please Read and Review! Thanks guys :3**

As Stormfur and Brook padded behind the waterfall into the Tribe's home, Brook found that very cat was staring at them expectantly. Brook blinked in surprise. _Why was every cat looking at them like this?_

And eldery voice meowed something beside her and Brook turned to stare at Stoneteller.

"Stormfur?" the old cat rasped. "Is it your wish to join The Tribe of Rushing Water as a prey-hunter?"

The dark gray tom took a step back, shock flaring in his yellow eyes, clearly not suspecting this. "Y-yes." He stumbled at last.

"Then we hail you by your tribe name—Storm Where Cold Wind Blows."

Brook let out a cry of pure joy, "Storm!" she called. "Storm!" The cats around her began to cheer as well and Storm stared around his eyes brimming with happiness.

Stoneteller silenced his tribe with a wave of his tail. "Acording to The Tribe of Endless Hunting, you must guard our cave all night long."

Storm nodded as the cats around him began to back away. Brook saw Crag lumbering across the clearing to butt Storm in the shoulder. "Congratulations!" the cave-guard growled good-naturedly.

Brook rested her tail tip on his shoulder and let out a purr, "I'll see you in the morning."

Then she padded off deeper into the cave towards the prey-hunter's sleeping hollow.

"So?" a teasing voice called behind her as she settled down in a nest of moss. "How long till your sleeping in the nursery?"

Brook flattened her ears in embarrassment then she recognised her friend and fellow prey-hunter, Mist. The lithe tabby's blue eyes were dancing with wicked amusement and her tail twitched back and forth slowly.

"Oh don't mind her." She heard Fire laugh beside her and she caught a flash of ginger-and-white fur as he dashed away to his sister's side. He swatted his paw at Mist and the tabby prey-hunter fell into a crouch, purring in delight.

The two littermates rolled on the smooth rock floor together and even though they were both older than her they still acted like kits.

After a while the two broke apart and Brook nudged Mist to her paws. "Come on. Crag will get angry if we don't settle down soon."

They both nodded and all three lay down in the moss and feathers. Brook breathed a sigh of relief, knowing she'd sleep well tonight without Sharptooth on the prowl. Then she thought of Stormfur's pain as he grieved for his dead sister—who had sacrificed herself for the Tribe.

She glanced guiltily at Stormfur who was seated at the cave entrance, with his tail curled around his paws and his amber-yellow gleaming with satisfaction at finally becoming part of the Tribe.

She realized with a last flicker of conscious thoughts that what Mist said _was_ true. And someday she would be asleep in the nursery, with Stormfur curled around her and kits swatting at each other with small hooked claws. "That's how I want it to be…" she murmured quietly.


	4. Chapter 2

**Ok everybody here's chapter 2! I hope you enjoy it, please R&R!**

Everything was so silent, Storm thought as he sat his vigil at the cave entrance. _So peaceful…_

Out of the corner of his amber eyes he saw the smooth curve of Brook's body as she slept. Beside her slept a tabby cat and Storm recognised Mist, one of the first cats he had met on their first journey through the mountains.

His eyes slowly began to close but then at the back of his mind he heard Feathertail's sharp voice, "You're sitting vigil! You're not supposed to fall asleep!"

Instantly he was whisked back to the old RiverClan camp, where he and Feathertail were newly named warriors sitting their vigil.

He remembered dozing off as they sat in the middle of the camp and Feathertail reminding him that they were _supposed_ to be guarding their camp.

"We're not supposed to talk either!" he had muttered, his gray fur bristling slightly.

But his sister hadn't seemed to mind because she had just touched her nose to his muzzle and murmured, "I know you're tired. It's been a long day with the BloodClan battle so I'll keep vigil for _both_ of us."

Her silvery-gray fur and blue eyes vanished and Storm found himself back in the Cave of Rushing Water. There was no cat to sit vigil for him now, he thought with a jolt of pure grief.

Slowly the morning sun rose over the mountain peaks spreading it's creamy light over Storm's dark gray pelt and the Tribe cats began to rise out of their sleeping hollows.

Glancing around he saw Flight emerge from the nursery cave followed by her kits and her mate, Sheer. On the other side of the cave Crag was calling cats to him.

Then Storm felt a touch on his flank that sent sparks up his spine and he saw Brook. Her amber eyes shone with affection as she gently nudged his side with her nose.

"Come on. Crag's organizing a hunt and he'd like you to join us. Unless your too tired that is!" she added teasingly.

He growled playfully and butted his companion in the side before loping across the cave with her. He could never be tired when hunting with Brook!

Crag greeted them with a dip of his head, ""We're splitting up in two groups." He rumbled in his deep voice. "Storm, Brook and Mist you'll join me, Night and Talon and we'll go down into the valley below." He turned his head to the other cats. "A smaller group will go up the ridge: Fire, Eagle, Star and Bird."

The cats dipped their heads as he finished and trotted out of the cave into the morning sunshine. Storm stretched in the dazzling light, grateful for the warmth on such a cold leaf-bare day.

Talon fell in step beside him, his dark amber eyes warm. Gently he flicked his tail on Storm's shoulder before padded forward to have a word with Night. Storm cast a glance behind him and saw Brook walking with the prey-hunter Mist. Brook looked thoroughly embarrassed but Mist's tail was waving and she kept making amused looks at him.

"She-cats!" he muttered aloud as he rolled his eyes in annoyance, before he concentrated on his first hunt as a tribe-cat.


	5. Chapter 3

Brook blinked the sleep out of her eyes and gazed around the Cave. Most of the cats were out already. Only she and Storm were in their sleeping hollows and she guessed that the other prey-hunters were out on a patrol.

Storm was still asleep, his tail curled over his noise and his chest rising and falling as he slept soundly. Carefully as so not to disturb him she rose from her nest of moss and arched her back in a luxurious stretch, her jaws parted in a furious yawn.

She caught sight of Leaf, the oldest and only to-be across the cave and set off towards her.

"Hi." She mewed cheerfully to the young prey-hunter. Leaf dipped her head in respect to the older cat and Brook saw her eyes were hopeful as she stared up at her.

"Will you take me out to hunt?" she meowed.

Brook took a step back, not knowing what to say. "Where's Gray? He's your mentor; he should take you out."

Leaf's green eyes narrowed angrily, "Where he always is" she spat, her fur bristling. "In the nursery with Shine!"

"You can't blame him for wanting to see his mate." She began though she knew Leaf was right. She hadn't seen Gray for days except when he came to sleep at night. He had no right to neglect his to-be.

"Ok." She muttered to Leaf after a moment of silence. "I'll take you out."

The tabby gave a little skip of excitement and bounded away happily to go find a cave-guard to go with them.

Brook sighed. She had wanted to go out with Storm and Mist today but she knew that Leaf shouldn't be left un-mentored for so long.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Stoneteller emerge from his den and prod Storm awake with his big white paws. Her friend woke with a start and Brook saw him flinch away from the tribe-healer as his voice rose in anger.

Storm nodded once to what Stoneteller said and set off across the the clearing towards her, his ears flat to his head.

"What happened?" Brook gasped as he came near.

He rubbed his muzzle against her cheek before he let out a purr of amusement, "Over-sleeping. He said it's already sun-high and I haven't moved once!" He did a good job of sounding normal but Brook knew he was upset about it.

"Stoneteller had no right doing that!" she muttered angrily with a swish of her tail. "You were on a hunting patrol all day yesterday and you kept vigil that night too! What more can the Tribe of Endless Hunting ask for?"

"Be careful of what you say, dear Brook." A deep voice growled from the darkness.

Brook gasped and turned to see Ripple, a large and menacing cave-guard standing behind her. "Never insult Stoneteller or our warrior ancestors."

He stared at Storm a while longer, his gaze hostile before he turned back to her. "Come on." He meowed. "We're taking Leaf out."

"Good-bye." She murmured to Storm as she padded after the cave-guard.

Leaf was waiting beside the waterfall, all three padded out of the entrance, and Brook felt as though an ominous cloud was hanging over her…

**Haha, you didn't think there'd be no villain in this story, did you? Please Read and Review it'd mean a lot to me :3 **


	6. Chapter 4

Storm glared after Ripple, his eyes narrowed in anger. He had clearly seen the longing and affection in the cave-guard's eyes as he looked at Brook and the way they were scorching with jealousy and hostility when he gazed at him. All he wanted to do was rake his claws over the tom's shoulders and snarl an insult. But he knew better.

He relaxed as he felt a light touch at his shoulder; as Talon padded up beside him, "Don't worry about Ripple." He rumbled, his amber eyes sympathetic. "He and Brook have been friends for a long time. It would be natural for him to feel something towards her."  
Storm just snorted but he guessed what Talon said made sense.

"Besides," the dark tabby continued. "Every cat knows how you and Brook feel about each other."

"What?" he gasped in disbelief but Talon didn't reply only. The cave-guard just whisked around, flicking his tail at Storm's noise a knowing look in his eyes.

_Was it true? Did every cat know about him and Brook?_ He thought, his amber eyes wide with shock.

Brook was rather impressed of the skilful way Leaf hunted. She patiently waited for the prey to come to her and then dispatched it quickly with a blow to the neck.

"Well done!" she praised the to-be as she caught a falcon as it tried to carry off a shrew.

The tabby she-cat dipped her head and Brook saw her eyes flash in pride.

Ripple had been watching the sky for eagles, "A storm's coming." He meowed. "We better get back." Brook was about to protest but he cut her off. "We'll catch more prey on our way back."

Brook sighed and rolled her eyes but didn't argue any further as he led the way across a ledge. She followed, a hawk she had caught earlier hanging from her jaws. Glancing behind her she saw Leaf struggling, trying to carry two pieces of prey at once.

Why couldn't Ripple have token something from her? He's was so inconsiderate! She thought bitterly staring at her old denmate in anger. But still she admired the sheen on his gray tabby coat…

_No!_ _How could she ever feel affection for him? _Brook shook her slender tabby head trying to part from the thoughts.

"Are you coming?" called a voice from somewhere above her.

She looked up to see Leaf staring curiously at her. She was standing on a jutting piece of rock over a mountain stream with Ripple right beside her.

"Come on up!" he called out gruffly.

Brook blinked her amber eyes open and leapt up to join them. Fore one single instant she thought she had jumped short. She slammed into the rock, her front paws scrabbling frantically on the smooth stone.

"No!" she gasped as she lost her grip and plunged into the mountain stream 5 tail-lengths below her. The water hit her like an icy blow and the current dragged her under in an instant

"Tribe of Endless Hunting! Save me, please!" she cried out as she rose to the surface only to be thrown back under again.

Water wreathed all around her, black like a moonless sky and rippling with the savage current. She thought she was going to die for sure as she plunged down the waterfall where the Tribe cats made their home.

The pool below her was like Sharptooth lashing out at her, with his cold, cruel fangs and she thrashed widly trying to escape.

Then a cat was there beside her, paws churning in the endless black water. Her head broke the surface as a dark cat grabbed her by her scruff and pulled her up.

He dragged her back towards the edge of the pool where she like coughing and sputtering before lying still for a long moment.

Then Brook opened her eyes and she saw Storm crouching in front of her. "Brook!" he gasped, nuzzling her with relief. "Oh StarClan I thought you were dead."

She struggled to sit up and breathed a great big sigh. "I did too." She managed to rasp.

She heard a startled cry from the Cave of Rushing Water and Talon, Flight and Stoneteller burst out from the sheet of endless water to hurtle down towards them.

That was all Brook remembered as her paws fell beneath her and darkness swallowed her up.

**It was about time I added some drama x) Read and Review guys!**


	7. Chapter 5

When Brook awoke she found herself stretched out in nest of dried moss and eagle feathers. She blinked in confusion at her surroundings. This wasn't the prey-hunter's sleeping hollow.

Around her stood tall pillars of rock, the moon shone through a crack in the roof turning the stone a gleaming white.

"I see you're awake."

Brook whipped around to see Rock staring at her with eerie green eyes, his brown fur neatly groomed.

"Where… where am I?" she muttered.

"In the Cave of Pointed Stones." Rock meowed dryly. "Or maybe you've been knocked out so long you've forgotten."

Brook let out a hiss of anger. "Say that again?" she spat.

Rock's eyes glared fury at her but he kept his voice calm, "I'll tell Stoneteller you're awake."

As he disappeared into the shadows Brook began to lick her matted tabby fur and memories came flooding back. She had tried to leap up onto a piece of rock but instead had toppled over into the stream. _Why didn't anyone help me?_ She thought in frustration.

A flicker of movement at the entrance of the tunnel startled her and she twitched her ears. There was a brief pause then Storm leaped out of the darkness, his amber-yellow eyes shining.

Her eyes lit up and she stepped cautiously out of the scoop in the ground and turned to face him. Storm wasted no time hurtling into her, making her fall back into the nest she had slept in.

"Oh Brook!" he cried, covering in a caress of licks and nuzzles. "I thought you'd never wake up!"

"Well I'm awake now." She retorted lightly as she swatted his ear with one dainty paw. He purred in amusement and was about to say something when Stoneteller appeared beside them.

"I assume you are feeling better then Brook?" he meowed.

Brook dipped her head in respect, "Yes."

"Good." He gently ran his nose down her flank checking her breathing. "You might have a chill." He declared at last.

He dipped his paw in a polite gesture then returned to his den—a small cavern in the side of the mountain.

Storm stared after him for a moment then lay down next to Brook and touched his nose to hers.

Brook saw her own love reflected in those amber pools and the worry and excitement. Everything else in the cave vanished and it was only she and he staring at each other with wordless affection.

The silence was finally broken as Brook let out a purr, "Storm. I'd like to have kits."

**Awwww :3 You know the drill: Read and Review**


	8. Chapter 6

Storm was awoken that morning by some cat calling his name. He opened his eyes to see Crag staring at him with big yellow eyes.

The cave-guard prodding him in the flank roughly, "Get up!" he growled. "Fire wants you for a hunting patrol."

"What about Brook?" he mewed.

"Stoneteller says she's not well enough to go out yet. Flight will look after her for the day."

Storm sighed and followed his friend out into the main cave. Already it was bustling with activity. Storm spotted Wing tearing off a piece of her rabbit to share with her kits. Sheer stared down at her, eyes filled with the distinctive gaze of pride at his mate and kits.

_Will I be like him one day?_ Storm wondered.

His eyes swivelled around the other way and Storm caught sight of Fire's splashed ginger-and-white fur and trotted over to him, with his tail waving.

"Hi!" he meowed nudging the prey-hunter affectionately in the shoulder.

Fire murmured a friendly greeting before turning to the rest of his patrol, "We'll be going down in the valley!" He yowled so every cat could hear above the noise. "Night and Ripple will join us!"

He motioned for his tail for the other cats to follow him and Storm found himself beside Mist.

"How's Brook?" the she-cat asked her tail twitching anxiously. "I didn't have a chance to see her since the accident."

Storm licked her ear comfortingly, "There's no need to worry." He meowed in reassurance. "Stoneteller says she only has chill from the water. Flight's looking after her today."

Mist's blue eyes gave way to relief before the group of cats padded beneath the waterfall and out into the open. Fire led the way with Night and Flower. Storm and Mist were the only other ones besides Ripple who was at the back.

Storm caught a sudden scent of falcon and saw the dark bird flying just above the pool, a small silver fish hooked in it's talons.

Without even thinking he leapt down onto the bird's back and it plunged into the pool—with Storm.

He fell in the water the falcon still grasped in his claws and pushed back up to the surface. He gasped for air as he came up and he saw Flower staring at him critically while Mist's eyes were laughing.

Storm swam to the edge with ease and dragged himself out with the falcon now clenched in his jaws.

"What were you thinking?" snarled Ripple his blue eyes smoldering as he confronted him. "You could have drowned!"

"Well I didn't!" Storm retorted furiously. "I used to be a RiverClan cat—we can swim better than any of the Clans!"

"Well let's see you try to be a mountain cat!" Ripple took a pace forward, his claws unsheathed and his teeth bared. 

Night snorted, "The Tribe of Endless Hunting couldn't ask for more foolish toms." She shot Ripple a look through narrowed eyes then meowed a congratulations to him, saying she was impressed.

Ripple sheathed his claws and muttered, "Well I'm sure not kit-mother would fancy a drenched falcon."

Storm rolled his eyes and shook his sodden gray fur before following the other cats down the mountain trail.

Flower managed to bring a hare that had strayed to far from it's home and Fire managed to get his claws on a mouse. Even Mist managed to catch a mountain-dwelling bird.

When all four prey-hunters had some prey the six cats returned to the Cave. Storm put his falcon down on the fresh-kill pile when he heard an excited voice call his name.

It was Brook.

The tabby she-cat raced across the cave to crash into him her amber eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Oh Storm!" she gasped as she caught her breath. "Stoneteller…. Stoneteller says I'm going to bear kits!"

Storm stood frozen with shock, last night had seemed like a hundred moons ago. But before he could reply a snarl exploded from behind him.

"What?"

**Haha :P Read and Review ya'll!**


	9. Chapter 7

"Ripple…please…" Brook began uneasily as the massive tom stepped out of the gloom. "It's not what you think…"

"Then what is it?" the cave-guard spat in rage. "I'm not deaf!"

"Well maybe you're just mousebrained!" Storm hissed as he came up beside Brook.

"What?" Ripple yowled in outrage, his claws sinking into the cave floor. "You dare call _me _a mousebrain?"

Storm stared defiantly up at the menacing tabby tom. "Yes." He replied evenly. "Yes I do."

Ripple looked as though he were about to claw the prey-hunter's ears off and Storm let out a challenging hiss so Brook stepped in between the two hostile toms.

"Stop it!" she growled, barring Storm's way with her tail. "You're _both_ being mousebrained!"

"Oh look! The pretty little she-cat is standing up for an outsider!" Ripple sneered. "I guess he's too weak to fight!"

Brook's eyes widened at the insult and she took a step backward, the blood pumping in her veins.

Storm looked ready to say something but Ripple cut him off with another stinging retort. "Even his weak sister had more courage than him!"

Storm's calm, level eyes vanished in a heartbeat and he glared up at Ripple, his face twisted in rage. Then without warning he launched himself at Ripple with a furious snarl.

"How dare you call my sister weak!" he cried out.

Ripple tensed his muscles, readying himself for Storm's attack, his eyes flashing from side to side. Storm knocked Ripple off his feet as he bowled the cave-guard over. His tail lashed from side to side and he rose up onto his hindlegs, his forepaws lashing out in front of him. Ripple dodged him with ease and stepped lightly away from Storm's furious swipes. Then with one quick move he darted forward, his paw raised for the deathblow but Storm pulled away just in time and Ripple's claws only caught the side of his muzzle.

Storm fell backward as scarlet drops fled to the ground like rain, while Ripple watched triumphantly. He hit the ground with a sickening thud and Brook felt shudders run down her spine, her eyes closed tightly.

But Storm was back on his paws the instant her eyes opened. He was about to throw himself back on the enemy but Brook pushed him aside.

"Please stop…" She murmured to him. "_Please_."

She stared up at him, her amber eyes burning with the intensity of her plea but he wouldn't return her gaze.

Ripple smirked, whipped around and stalked off towards the other cave-guards. One or two of them shot admiring glances, but most seemed angry or uneasy with Ripple.

"He called her weak," he murmured. "Even though she died to save him…"

She saw the grief stark in his eyes and couldn't bring herself to say anything. How could she? Storm had loved his sister so dearly, perhaps even more than he loved Brook now.

She stretched her neck forward and began to rasp her tongue gently over his muzzle, trying to clear the blood away.

"So you're really going to have kits?"

**Ugh! I finally finished it! I had really bad writers block these past weeks. I hope you guys like this one, I sure did!**


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